Aggie softball falls in Game 1 of series to San Jose State

Sun-News report

Posted:
05/03/2013 08:41:57 PM MDT

The New Mexico State softball team fell 2-1 at San Jose State on Friday evening.

NMSU needs a single win this weekend to clinch a Western Athletic Conference regular-season championship. They'll will get another chance today during a 1 p.m. doubleheader. One victory would give NMSU an outright league title, and a No. 1 seed in next week's WAC Tournament in Ruston, La.

The Aggies currently hold a 35-16 overall record, 16-3 in WAC play. San Jose State is 37-15 overall and 15-4 in the WAC.

The Aggies got a complete game from pitcher Alex Newman - the 14th of the season for the senior - who didn't give up an earned run. NMSU also got a solo home run from Lacey Roher, her fourth of the season, which gave the Aggies a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning.

"We came out here expecting a battle and that's what we got," NMSU head coach Kathy Rodolph said. "I think it was a solid effort from us. Lacey came up with a key hit when we needed it and gave us a spark, and Alex pitched very well for us in the circle today. We know what we have to work on and we will come out ready tomorrow."

The Spartans answered Roher's home run with a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth and the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh. That run was scored when Devin Caldwell got on via an Aggie error, and eventually came around via a single and sacrifice fly to end the contest.

The Aggies finished the day with four hits total against San Jose State ace Amanda Pridmore, who walked three and struck out six.